MILWAUKEE — Uniform, product and service provider Cintas Corp. reports that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) formally honored its rental location here as a VPP Star-certified location during a ceremony at the facility.
OSHA created the VPP (Voluntary Protection Programs) Star program to recognize stand-out worksites with comprehensive, successful safety and health management systems.
Companies that have earned a VPP Star designation have achieved injury and illness rates at or below the national average of their respective industries and established strong workplace hazard control programs.
During the presentation, Cori Boyle, the Milwaukee location’s general manager, accepted the honors on behalf of the team.
“It is an honor to achieve the VPP Star Certification at our Cintas location in Milwaukee,” she says.
“The key to our safety success has been the engagement from every employee-partner at our location. They truly care about one another and our customers. To every employee-partner, safety is non-negotiable.”
OSHA established VPP Star to promote effective and cooperative worksite safety and health in both private industry and government worksites.
Achieving VPP Star certification is rigorous. Businesses must demonstrate that management and employees work cooperatively—and proactively—to prevent workplace accidents by implementing a comprehensive safety and health management system and maintaining injury and illness rates below national Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) averages for their respective industries.
This program is OSHA’s official recognition of the outstanding efforts of employers and employees who have achieved exemplary occupational safety and health. To remain in the program, participants must be re-evaluated every three to five years.
Cintas says its commitment to OSHA’s VPP Star program has set a new standard for U.S. companies. As of August 2024, 130 Cintas facilities in the United States are VPP Star certified, a total that exceeds that of every other American company.
“An important requirement for earning this distinction is that all our employee-partners —management and front-line employee-partners—work together toward the common goal of eliminating workplace injuries and illnesses,” says Stephen Jenkins, Cintas vice president of health and safety.
“This cooperation is embedded in our Cintas culture and our Cintas health and safety system, and without this critical element, we would not qualify for this recognition. We’re incredibly proud of our employee-partners’ dedication to working collaboratively to maintain safe and healthy worksites throughout our company.”
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